On the latest episode of the Processing Blue podcast, the team discusses a notable player who was waived and what to predict of this mysterious Panthers defense.

By Drew Nantais & Makayla Holder / The Charlotte Observer

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Foreign Where in the world are you my man I am In an undisclosed location Adjacent to Area 51 if there is one in Bank of America Stadium now I if I I Genuinely don't know where I am I'm Right across the hallway from where we Just interviewed Bryce young Officials might change like the referee Changing room or something yeah perhaps Um Yeah they transported high school locker Room over there yeah okay well yeah That's probably exactly what it is so Yeah I'll be I'll be your residing Official this evening uh heads or tails Langston just kidding all right we can Get it going all right I'm gonna be his I'm going to win anyway because I have To ask the questions former South Carolina receiver shot Smith six round Draft pick caught seven passes 88 yards I was kind of room for him a little bit To make the team he did not make the Team uh did that surprise you Surprise is a difficult word I think a Lot of people within the Panthers Organization Uh I wouldn't want to say rooting for him Because of course this is a business but I just remember when I was just starting At The Observer last year and I was Helping out

Um Ellis Williams with Uh training camp stuff Everybody in the organization of course This was a different head there's a Different head coach there's a different Coaching staff but everyone in the Organization was like man shy Smith has Really impressed us this year shy Smith Can be a threat in pretty much anywhere They can be a threat in this slide he Can play out wide he can return punts as Well and um and so a year later seeing His name not on the 53-man roster is Again it's a strange word of course this Is a business I Alex zetlo thinks this Is it is a little disappointing just Purely because Um the organization once had so many Hopes for him Um but this is a really crowded wide Receiver room as we've talked about a Whole bunch of times this preseason Frank Reich and his staff went out and Got a lot of guys Um and many of those guys are injured Right now which kind of even opened the Opportunity more right for a deeper wide Receiver room and still shy didn't make The cut so Um that's the status on him I think but Langston to your point I think a lot of Guys and a lot of panthers fans feel That way they feel like dang yeah he was He was just kind of spunky made plays

Last year you know it was fun to watch But then Carolina goes out and get Another against another wide receiver Super Bowl champion from Kansas City It's got a lot of speed tell us about Him and how Adam thielen helped recruit Him to Carolina Langston thank you for reading my story Yesterday [Laughter] Well so firstly to introduce this guy His name is Amir Smith marcette see I Didn't want to say the name I didn't Want to make Miss much that upset so I Just was throwing it got you okay yeah Cool Um yeah uh in his own words he is a Quote bad M effort and what he means by That is he can he can do anything he's Explosive and she and the story that you Referenced yesterday or from yesterday Frank Reich is someone who is he had is Admittedly a little bit Um over He over prepares he over checks in on Any connections that any players that He's previously had or currently has Like has played with he loves to really Vet out guys that he's going to trade For or you know claim on waivers or Whatever and he remembered faintly in The back of his mind that Adam thielen And Amir Smith marcette Overlapped in Minnesota and so he gave

Adam a call and Adam is obviously one of The more veteran guys in the wide Receiver Corps and Adam only sung amir's Praises and I think that not only that That was important but I think at the End of the day this was a product of Amir really playing well this preseason I mean if you look at his numbers he cut Nine balls for 195 yards and two Touchdowns in three preseason games yeah And he can also fill in the depth that The Panthers are sort of kind of lacking In the kicking and punt return game so I So I think a lot of it made sense Already Frank just wanted to do what he Does and Someone yeah do you think he'd get on The field on offense and kind of take The top off for Bryce young and run some Nines I think that's the Hope particularly With a couple of the Panthers deep Threats injured at the moment yeah DJ shark Um he told reporters yesterday that he Will he's suffering um from a little Hamstring tweak right now but he told Reporters yesterday that he will Absolutely be ready for week one we've Heard the same thing of Miles Sanders Obviously his running back but like with These with these lingering-ish injuries It is you know good for the Panthers Marshall status with the back

He uh We didn't ask him about it specifically Yesterday but he was in helmet and pads Yesterday and so he did practice for the First time in a pretty long time so Bradshaw will have receivers we won Against Atlanta there'll be somebody yes Yes no Langston I will not have to line Up that's what you ask you're a Basketball dude you can shoot it I don't Want you Not over the middle now you're too Little to go to the middle I appreciate That Um I do appreciate the last point but I Appreciate the password We have not seen very much of this Panthers defense in preseason Um don't know what to make of the 3-4 Teams are running the ball on us pretty Well they were driving the ball on it on The Panthers pretty well what do you Make of the of the defense and haven't Seen it in practice it must look a lot Different than what we're seeing on Friday nights during the games Langston I'm so happy you asked this question Because this question was posed by David Newton of ESPN2 Frank Reich who was like And David basically goes so we don't Really know what to make your defense And Frank goes good that's the point and It's like and and his point was Justin Houston hasn't played in this preseason

Brian Burns hasn't played in this Preseason a couple other guys have Played Um limited snaps Derek Brown has played 13 snaps week one Um Shaq Thompson hasn't played a ton in The preseason so Not knowing it Frank is kind of making It so not knowing what this defense is And what this defense could be is an Asset at the moment and uh with and I Think Panthers fans can take solace in The fact that when the stars are on the Field AKA what happened last year the Defense is good the defense is competent And if you're saying in practice looks Good or what you you know I know you Haven't seen a lot of it what you've Seen look good in practice I think the Defensive backfield is Um I don't want to say surprisingly good But they are really solid JC horn is Healthy wait wait wait wait time out I Want you to repeat that for America you Said the Panthers defensive backs look Good that's what you said I didn't I Didn't like hear something yeah yeah Yeah okay well you're asking me about Practice and of course Um of course there are other variables There too because they're going against Their ones and they're going against Their own ones and their own twos and Yes I know I hear you Panthers Nation

Especially here you Langston how could The Panthers defensive backfield look Good after the Lions preseason game Where Teddy Bridgewater played probably His best half of football in Bank of America Stadium which is I was thinking back the last year Tom Brady is like every single time just Deep deep deep yeah okay well yeah the Pants they dropped one and still killed Us but yeah yeah no these are fair Points I but this is just this is just What I've seen Um and then I I think the backfield gets Better when you have a guy like Brian Burns who is just like Putting so much heat on Bryce young all The time Um so I From this defense we still don't really Know what we're seeing but this is just Alexander's eyes telling him that the Defensive backfield will be better than What they have shown in the preseason is Brian Burns has he become the alpha male Of the Panthers you think Uh I mean we are in the locker room Um and you know all that but of course We don't know that the player Dynamics Like these players do that said from What we could tell or from what Alice Can tell again yes he has kind of become That guy he is Outspoken he is fun he like seems to

Have a Charisma in addition to his raw Ability which is always nice from an Outside linebacker slash patch rusher I Think he I think he also is gleaning a Lot from Justin Houston who hasn't Played yet Um but the 34 year old outside Linebacker is already kind of making an Impact on Brian Burns Brian called him An old head the other day which is Completely fair and I think a lot of People see Brian in that veteran role as Well even though he is you know Relatively young too yeah um you know I Think there's a lot of Panther fans that Are open to the older Panther fans Remember Kevin green Lamar Lathan the uh Salt and pepper Fire and Ice combination Head and this can be a combination Similar to that yeah you know get after That quarterback yeah Brian also was Asked hey do you have a a tag team Nickname yet for Brian and for Brian and Justin like have you figured that out Yet and Brian's like dude we haven't Even played a game yet The inverse so yeah that'll be Interesting all good deals need a Nickname though I'll get defensive Um all right let's flip it let's talk a Little bit about the offense um all Right Bryce young finally had a good Preseason game he finally looked like The player oh that's why you traded up

To get a first round pick uh you know I Saw some some memes about he and Cam Newton both scoring their first Touchdown at the same point of the Preseason but the pass he made the the Throwing it before the guy came out of His break against pressure just a Perfect pass it's kind of like there's Not a lot of guys who can make that Throw and Did you see enough when the Panthers Opened up the reins a little bit on the Offense and did you see enough from Bryce to make you think and I kind of Asked Mike this question last week are The Panthers going to be better in the Regular season than they've been in the Preseason I think the answer is an unquestionable Yes Um and we I literally just got done Talking with Bryce and Bryce basically Said yeah we're still opening The Playbook we still haven't Unleashed Everything that we have I think that That particularly that first and second Drive that Bryce went on Um against the Lions The coaching staff was like okay we need To give this offense some confidence and We need to give this fan Pace we need to Imbue this fan base with some confidence That our number one overall pick can Move the ball and can make completions

And can and can also air it out and Throw the ball Beyond 15 yards I mean That pass that you referenced Langston Bryce's Under Pressure he can't really Step up in the pocket and he just throws A perfect dot perfectly timed too like Right at the pylon and all Adam Phelan Had to do was turn around and the ball Was in his with his chest not to say it Was it was still like not an easy catch Because he didn't see the ball really Until he made contact with him but those Are the kinds of throws that in the NFL You have to make that you don't Necessarily have to do in college you Don't have to Um throw like a someone wise once said That in college you throw to the open Man in the pros you throw to an open Spot and that is and Bryce has already Shown that which is Def really a Positive sign the one not so positive Sign and this also is a draw to your Cam Newton which I was which you mentioned Earlier neither could really slide I Mean yeah I mean and I mean cam would go and just Run P run linebackers over run defensive Back or defensive lineman over and Bryce Is just kind of like you just like kind Of slowed down his feet and then just Like landed on his butt and so we talked To Matt Corral after the game and Matt Was like yeah we're gonna have to get

Some soap and water out to teach him Yeah He showed a lot of poison in a couple of Drives in that first quarter and using His feet well to not only create space But also go ahead and you know get out Of pocket and run a little bit so it's Nice to see that I'm glad they did open The reins and show the fans a little bit More and and uh but the next question I Have for you speaking of Bryce young I Would argue right now that Austin Corbett's their best offensive lineman He's on the pup list tell people what Pup means Physically unable to perform and that Means he's going to miss how many Football games to start four so what are The Panthers going to do when his Right Guard is not out and the teams are going To Target whoever plays in that Right Guard spot to come right up Bryce's face And little guys don't want pressure in The face yeah yeah these I mean Langston Isn't it so funny how these even we Haven't even made it to the season yet And these storylines are still like Coming up and they're still getting Rehashed I mean this has been a Storyline all preseason since the very First preseason game who's going to Start at Right Guard who's going to fill Austin Corbett spot I think a lot of People would say that Austin Corbett was

The Panthers best offensive player last Year let alone offensive lineman so it Is a big deal Uh Chandler Zavala is uh he started his Fine in the final preseason game against The Lions in that Right Guard spot Um because Kate maze was out and now Cade mace is back we asked Frank Yesterday about what the Panthers plan Is at that spot and he is and they're Still evaluating so Um the good news is is that Chandler Zavala is impressed as a rookie the good News is that Cade maze is healthy and as We've talked about he's versatile Um the bad news is of course is Um Corbett is doing as we all expected And is going to miss the first four Games do you worry that a guy coming off Knee surgery might not play for half the Season more than half of the Season even Once we get past the four weeks he still Might not be able to go Uh I mean as a human being I don't Understand how how these guys can rip Their knee open and then like be able to Play within a year I mean like that's Just I mean that's just Not to go on a subject not to go on a Tangent about the amazing Sports Medical Technology but like holy crap that's Crazy Um Just I mean I can only report what I've

Heard and I can only report on what the Team is expecting to do and they are Hopeful that he'll play by week five and What whatever that means apparently Austin is doing everything he possibly Can to get on the field which is Reassuring but again some things are Just out of hand out of his hands given Everything you know about the offensive Line the wide receiver issues uh yeah we Didn't talk about tight ends but running Back had started running back as a play Given everything you've known about this Offense Um do you expect them to come out and Score 20 points against Atlanta You think it's going to be Going to be defense of these old Atlanta Down under 20 to get a win I think 20 points is a fantastic over Under for the Panthers in week one I Mean that requires two touch that Requires two touchdowns and two field Goals I mean have we seen enough to wear This first team offense against a full First team defense can drive against Another team Um against another first team defense I Think the answer is no we haven't seen That yet right Um of course a lot a lot can and will Change by week one The Playbook gets Opened up the I mean And also again there's so many injuries

That people are just yeah These soft tissue injuries are things That as veterans have told reporters Time and time again like it's better to Be safe than sorry in the preseason Because Um like and but once the regular season Comes they're gonna be playing through Them right so It's it's really difficult to say if you Are holding a gun to my head right now I Would say the Panthers would probably End up with less with fewer than 20 Points and the defense is going to have To come through Um and 20 points in the NFL is is not That much in today's date that much in Today's day and age I mean like the Average the average points has got to be In the 28 to 30 range at this point so Something let's go that much in a Quarter yeah so the Panthers are going To ask a lot all right let me take you Through the first quadrant of the season They got Ed Atlanta they got Saints They're at Seattle they have Minnesota At home so that's two conference games And FC said to be a weak conference is Two into a must or three and one a Possibility I think that both are I think you're Right in both instances I think two and Two is a must because if you're assuming That playoff aspirations are the end

Yeah yeah that's what we're talking About yeah of course yeah Um doing like you gotta win you gotta Win two of those particularly when like The weakest part of your schedule is Also going to be your divisional games Uh I think you have to go two and two I Think three and one is a possibility Um just considering Seattle kind of Overachieved at the beginning of part of Last year and kind of regressed to the Mean by the end of last season I haven't Been following their preseason super Closely [Music] But um it is hard to win out there That's a good point Um and I think I think expecting the Panthers can pull out a win at um Against Minnesota at this point is like Like really well Wishy really positive On this team so I'm not sure about that But two and two Um big win against Atlanta big win Against uh uh New Orleans or as New Orleans as you uh wrote in your email Um is are definitely both possible last Question yeah at the end of the season Will Bryce young be a top 20 NFL Quarterback or a back Uh backside NFL quarterback Um I'll say top 20. I mean I I might Even say top 15 just based on how people Around the league have been talking

About him Um I mean you guys heard it you you Heard what Aaron Rodgers said about him Yeah like he's being compared to Joe Burrow he's being compared to Aaron Rodgers I mean I don't I And I also don't know I know that some People think that this league is deepest At quarterback that it's ever been but a Lot of that has to do because the NFL Has changed so much to where the Quarterback is valued more than it's Ever been and is Um just has the ball and has so much Decision-making power more than it's Ever been I think Bryce has the talent to be a top 15 quarterback in year one and He'll also get better throughout the Season too Um I I try not to extrapolate too much Of what we've seen in the preseason for All the reasons that we mentioned in This podcast so far but like he will Grow he has so many Tools around him not Necessarily Um talking about like he doesn't have Megatron in his like as as a wide out And he doesn't have you know like Christian McCaffrey in the backfield but He does have Andy Dalton Um serving as his direct understudy he Does have Frank Reich who is known and Who is known for developing quarterbacks

And was a quarterback here himself he Does have these pieces to get better and I think that we will see then I think That'll turn out to be I I think I I Think if he's not a top 20 quarterback By the end of the season that would be a Real surprise well we have an American Glass half full Alex and this is yeah We'll be back next week as we get ready For the real action finally while Processing glue as we get ready for week One so thank you Alex for coming home I Appreciate it Thanks Langston always a good time Foreign

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